The City and the Mountains
by José Maria Eça de Queirós
Eça de Queirós' novel is a tribute to rural Portugal, and a satirical condemnation of the emptiness of city life and modernity.
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interviews, anecdotes and observation.
Eyewitness Guide Portugal
by Eyewitness Guides
Featuring hundreds of photographs and drawings, an excellent overview of the culture and history, and good information about where to go and what to do.
Roads to Santiago, A Modern-Day Pilgrimage Through Spain
by Cees Nooteboom
Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empirer
by Roger Crowley
This epic narrative history by bestselling author Roger Crowley (City of Fortune, MED185) chronicles the rise of Portugal as the small nation forged a dominant share in the global spice trade. His cast of characters (the ambitious King Manuel I, marauding governors and intrepid seamen) built a trade monopoly with the ferocity of a holy crusade, forever shifting Europe's center of power from the Mediterranean to Western Europe.
The New Spaniards
by John Hooper
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
Everything But the Squeal
by John Barlow
An Englishman married to a "Galega", John Barlow has a unique perspective on Galicia and Galician people. Add to that a wild idea to travel throughout Galicia over the course of a year trying to eat every part of a pig (except the squeal), and you have a book which evokes the people, the landscape, and especially the gastronomic fiestas of this area.
The History of Spain - Land on a Crossroad
by Great Courses Documentary series
Professor Emerita Joyce E. Salisbury of the University of Wisconsin unfurls a broad and fascinating panorama of Spanish history, spanning the centuries from the first Neolithic settlement of the peninsula to Spain’s 20th century Civil War in this documentary series.
Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Several
This collection of 30 stories from a who’s who of contemporary Spanish literature, including writers from Galicia, Leon, the Basque Country, Madrid and Barcelona.
The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest
by Fletcher & Barton
Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture
by Jose Saramago
Jose Saramago's richly detailed account of his journey across Portugal in 1979. He combines his vivid impressions of the Portuguese landscape and people with a dose of history, fiction and meditations.
Gaudi: The life of a Visionary
by J. Castellar-Gassol
A chronological journey covering the life and works of Gaudi
Made in Spain
by Chef José Andrés
Spanish Chef and philanthropist Jose Andres introduces the cuisine of Spain in this 13 episode series available on Prime.
Grape Harvest
by Miguel Torga
Miguel Torga's first novel is a tribute to the Douro, its people, and its landscapes. A book for all who love this extraordinary region.
Food and Wines of Spain
by Penelope Casas
A classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and the culinary history of Spain
The Hive
by Camilo José Cela
A daringly irreverent depiction of decadence and decay in Franco's Spain written by the 1989 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Camilo José Cela.
Spain, A History
by Raymond Carr
An authoritative overview of Spain through the ages by one of the world's leading scholars on the history of Spain, Sir Raymond Carr.
Women and Authority in Early Modern Spain; Peasants of Galicia
by Allyson M. Poska
This book examines how the rise of the global empire affected the lives of everyday women who remained in northwest Spain. In various parts of the peninsula, the reach of the empire was felt most directly through the absence of men in daily life. Galicia, in particular, experienced exceptionally high levels of male migration, resulting in communities where women predominated. Using sources such as court cases, marriage contracts, wills, and Inquisition records, Allyson Poska demonstrates how peasant women assumed social and legal authority in the frequent, and sometimes permanent, absence of their spouses, defying established norms regarding sexuality, property, and family roles.
Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Peter R. Bush, Lisa Dillman
Eyewitness Guide Northern Spain
by DK Eyewitness Travel
A literate, visually rich guide to northern Spain from Galicia across Asturias and the Basque Country to La Rioja to the Pyrenees.
Spain & Portugal Adventure Map
by National Geographic
A double-sided full color map of Spain and Portugal at a scale of 1:1,000,000 with good shaded relief, topographic detail, roads and waterways.
A Traveller’s History of Portugal
by Ian Robertson
A lively, admirably concise survey from prehistory to the present, great for travelers to Portugal who would like an overview of the country's history and culture.
The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook
by David Gitlitz
A kilometer-by-kilometer guide to the route of St. James across northern Spain with copious information on the historical and artistic sites along the way. You probably won't want it in your daypack, but in your suitcase it will be invaluable for previews of the following day and reflections on the preceding one
